Have you ever had a goal pose? Maybe a forearm stand or the splits -- something that you were eager to "get" in your physical practice and that you worked hard to reach. What was your experience like when getting there? Can you remember where you were when it happened? Or what it felt like to realize you were finally in the pose?
Likely, you can remember quite a few details of that moment. Maybe you even took a picture to commemorate it. The joy felt in these moments -- these instances of victory -- is a beautiful thing. We should celebrate the results of our hard work and dedication. However, we need to walk that line carefully and remember that the entire purpose of yoga (as a lifestyle) is to eliminate the limitations imposed by the personal ego in order to access the divine.
"We should celebrate the results of our hard work and dedication. However, we need to walk that line carefully and remember that the entire purpose of yoga (as a lifestyle) is to eliminate the limitations imposed by the personal ego in order to access the divine."
Most western yoga practices start with and revolve around the asanas. Even teachers/studios that do teach the other 7 limbs of the yoga practice often do so through the asanas -- using the physical body as a way to reflect upon the inner body. Let me be clear here: there is nothing inherently wrong with that approach. Honestly, having a physical, tangible practice to build off of is really helpful for many people, and many have been pulled into yoga as a lifestyle unintentionally when they originally signed up for a class to help them be "more flexible", etc. But if you are trying to be, as yogic author Jennie Lee says, a "true yogi", then it is worth reflecting on how your asana practice affects you as a human.
If you have read my previous blog post on building your own home practice, then you may recall that I suggest using social media as inspiration for your physical practice. The multitude of the beautiful yoga accounts out there can help you to gain exposure pose ideas and it can motivate you to try some new things in your own practice. Likewise, it can offer a platform on which to share your own passions and love with others. It can really be a slippery slope for one's ego, though. As a way to reflect and determine if your asana practice (and potential use of social media) is truly yogic, you can ask yourself the following questions:
How much energy am I putting into this pose? Is my use of energy contributing to an overall balance in my body, or am I hyper focused in any areas?
How do I view my body? Am I attached to it in any way? Or am I grateful yet detached?
What is my purpose for getting on my mat? Is it to look good, or is it to feel good? Do I balance time on the mat with time off of it (in meditation, etc)?
When I look at others' social media posts, do I use it as positive inspiration? Do I feel joy for them? Or do I compare myself to them? Do I feel any sort of competition?
What is my motive for posting? Am I eager to share my passions and love? Or am I eager to get "likes" and external validation?
How do I feel when "getting" a new pose? Do I feel joyful and grateful? Or do I feel smug and proud?
^^Your honest answers to these questions can help you determine your next steps in your asana practice. If you have found yourself fixated on a certain pose in a way that distracts from your real practice, then set it down for a while and take a step back. If you have found that you put much more energy into asanas than other elements of your practice, then maybe you can dedicate some of your "mat time" instead to meditation or studying. If you have found that you use social media as validation rather than a way to share love and inspiration, then try deleting those apps from your phone for a while and focusing on your internal experience of the practice rather than the external.
Yoga is hard. It requires us to not only be our best selves, but to completely set our "selves" aside in order to be a full member of the greater "Self". This is no easy task. But we can make it easier on ourselves through constant reflection and adjustment of our own behaviors and tendencies; we can make it easier on ourselves through honest evaluation and redirection when/where necessary. Utilizing tapas (purification through discipline) we hold ourselves to the fire in order to effect personal change, and utilizing santosha (contentment) and ahimsa (non-violence), we are patient and loving toward ourselves in the process.
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